Tag: Kanyashree

Girls are our pride, they are our asset: WB CM on Kanyashree Dibas

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Girls are our pride, they are our asset: WB CM on Kanyashree Dibas

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today transferred financial assistance to 27 lakh girls enrolled under Kanyashree scheme at the click of a button, during the third anniversary celebrations of the historic scheme at Nazrul Manch, Kolkata.

“Girls are our pride. They are our asset. They are our future,” she said while adding that all those who are enrolled under Kanyashree scheme will get a certificate at the age of 18 years.

WB CM was accompanied by UNICEF’s representative to India Louis-Georges Arsenault and a galaxy of stars from the cultural world, including filmmakers, actors and singers. The ceremony began with the cutting of a ‘cake sondesh’ followed by cultural performances by students.

Coochbehar, Murshidabad and Birbhum were declared as the Best Performing Districts in implementing Kanyashree scheme while Purulia and South Dinajpur received Special Awards.

Mr Louis-Georges Arsenault lauded the efforts of the West Bengal Government and said this scheme could become a model for India.

“Isn’t it incredible that 27 lakh girls have been enrolled today under this scheme at the pressing of a button?,” said WB CM while speaking at the ceremony.

“I am proud to say Kanyashree scheme was highlighted at World Girls’ Summit, 2014 in London. We are still fighting for 33% reservation for women in Parliament. Proud to say TMC has 35% women MPs in Lok Sabha,” WB CM added.

She announced that 40 lakh girls and boys, studying in Class VIII-X will receive bicycles in the next few years.

 

WB CM’s pet project Kanyashree – A tool to curb girl trafficking

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on WB CM’s pet project Kanyashree – A tool to curb girl trafficking

Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee’s dreamproject Kanyashree has played a crucial role in curbing crimes like trafficking of women and children and child-marriage, the joint secretary ofthe women and child development and social welfare department, Sharmistha Das,said.

Using Kanyashree as a weapon, the state government is now urging the police and non-government organizations to goahead to the micro level to generate awareness so that such crimes are minimised in the state.

In a special training programme for police personnel jointly organized by the district police, district legal services authority(DLSA) and an NGO, the joint secretary emphasised on the utility of Kanyashree.

The joint secretary, in her session on ‘Kanyashree project as tool for preventing child trafficking’ said, “West Bengal is home to 88.34 lakh teenager girls as per the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). Most of these girls are vulnerable to child trafficking in theform of child marriage and other forms of coercion. Kanyasree project, aninitiative of the government of West Bengal, is an exclusive scheme to save thevulnerable girls.”

Sixty police personnel who attended the programme were explained on how to take action against trafficking of teenagers and prevent banes like child marriage.

Impact of Kanyashree: School dropout rate among girls comes down in Bengal

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Impact of Kanyashree: School dropout rate among girls comes down in Bengal

That actions speak louder than words is exemplified yet again by West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee. Her vision is showcased through her mission. Kanyashree, the internationally acclaimed project started by the Government of West Bengal, has borne fruit.

According to data from the National Sample Survey 2014, the school dropout rate among girls in the State has come down. The report says that while the National average for school dropout rate for girls is 3.23%, the same for the State is 1.28%. In the 2009 survey, the figure stood at 2.34% for Bengal.

About the scheme

The Kanyashree Scheme was inaugurated by the Trinamool Congress government in October, 2013, with the express purpose of ensuring the education of girls and thereby preventing forced child marriage.

Under the scheme, the government provides an annual scholarship of Rs. 500 to girls between 12 and 18 years (class eight to class 12) to continue with their studies, provided they are unmarried. A one-time grant of Rs 25,000 is also provided to the girl, once she reaches the age of 18, to pursue higher studies.

Kanyashree scheme – Winning accolades worldwide

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Kanyashree scheme – Winning accolades worldwide

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee will be present on the celebration of Kanyashree Divas at Nazrul Mancha today. 27 lakh girls have been enrolled under this scheme.

The Kanyashree Scheme, started under the initiative of the West Bengal Chief Minister has aimed on the empowerment of girls, some of whom will be felicitated by the Chief Minister today.

The Kanyashree has received numerous international awards and was invited at the International Girl’s Summit and won acclaims of the DFID and the UNICEF. It also won the first prize for all round development in digital inclusion by Manthan for the South Asia and Asia Pacific region as well as the national e-Governance award for the year 2014-15.

The West Bengal Government has already increased budget allotment for this path-breaking scheme which has proved to be fruitful in decreasing women’s trafficking as well.

Progress of Bengal will not be halted because of funds: WB CM

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Progress of Bengal will not be halted because of funds: WB CM

Speaking at a public meeting in Raipur in Bankura district, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that in spite of the huge debt burden imposed on the State Government by the past Left Government, she did not let the developmental works in Bengal come to a standstill.

The Chief Minister said that a major portion of the State’s revenues are being spent to pay the debt incurred by the Left, before 2011. There is acute shortage of funds for developmental works, she said. In spite of the financial burden, the Trinamool Government had kept the process of developmental works unhindered.

From Raipur, the Chief Minister inaugurated 24 projects and laid foundation stones for another 55. She said that the next time she visits, she will inaugurate those, of which the foundation stones have been laid.

The Chief Minister said that in the past four years she had held 84 administrative meetings in the districts. She said that the atmosphere of Jangalmahal has changed and the fear factor that once ruled the area has vanished. She reiterated that peace prevails in Jangalmahal and without peace, development cannot take place.

The Chief Minister said the previous government had distributed on 12,000 pattas in three years while the present Government in four years have already distributed over 3 lakh pattas. She announced that girl students studying between classes VIII to X, who numbers 40 lakhs in Bengal, will be given bicycles.

She said that the payment for 100 Days’ Work scheme has already been released but many places in rural Bengal do not have banks which result in delays.  The Chief Minister also informed that 3.2 crore people in Jangalmahal area are being supplied rice at Rs 2/kg. She announced that besides Bankura, fair price medicine shops are being set up at Khatra and Sonamukhi.

The Chief Minister informed that in spite of the Centre slashing 50% funds in ICDS and other such schemes, the State Government is still carrying on those projects at its own cost.

WB CM inaugurates numerous developmental projects at Bankura

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on WB CM inaugurates numerous developmental projects at Bankura

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee, on the third day of her three-day visit to Bardhaman, Purulia and Bankura, addressed a public meeting at Raipiur.

She inaugurated several important projects like the Patrasayer-Danna Eco Tourism Park, a Karma Tirtha at Bishnupur, a blood Bank at Khatra, new administrative buildings, 59 roads, bridges, a motel (Patha Sathi) at Barjora, irrigation projects, solar energy powered tube wells among others.

The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stones of numerous projects like new bridges, roads, administrative buildings, water supply projects, tourism projects, grain godowns, hostels and a common facility centre for Dokra craftsmen at Bikna.

The Chief Minister distributed from the stage benefits and grants like Kanyashree, forest and land pattas, scholarships, sports equipment and agricultural machinery.

The West Bengal Chief Minister had stopped for the night at Garh Panchakot in Purulia. After today’s programme she will visit Jhargram.

Poor people are the backbone of the country: WB CM

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Poor people are the backbone of the country: WB CM

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for better coordination between states and the Centre for overall development of the states and the country.

“If the states and the Centre work together in coordination, it will help in the overall development of the masses,” Ms Banerjee said at a function at Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata.

She also urged the Centre to ensure that at least every panchayat in the country is covered by banking services.

“After I came to power in 2011 more than 1,000 panchayats out of 3,500 in the state did not have banks. Then we offered one rupee rent to banks and asked them to open branches. We have been able to open 171 banks out of the 1,000 left. I would request the Centre to see that at least every panchayat is covered by banking services so that it helps the poor,” she said.

Citing the achievements of the TMC government in the empowerment of girls, WB CM spoke about the success of the ‘Kanyashree’ project which has covered 24 lakh girl child in the state. She said while Centre allocated only Rs 100 crore for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Bengal had allocated Rs 1000 crore for Kanyashree scheme.

WB CM chairs first administrative meeting at Alipurduar district

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on WB CM chairs first administrative meeting at Alipurduar district

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today chaired the first administrative meeting of the newly formed Alipurduar district and and reviewed the progress of developmental works. “Bringing development at all corners of the districts is our motto,” she later wrote on Facebook.

Later at a Government programme held at Ethelbari in Madarihat-Birpara, the Chief Minister inaugurated the first integrated administrative building for Alipurduar district. It will house important government offices of the district in one location.

The Chief Minister inaugurated the renovated Madarihat youth hostel, pipelined water supply projects and the Raghunath Murmu Memorial School at Kalchini.

The Chief Minister laid foundation stones for the Zilla Parishad Bhavan, SNCU unit and bold bank at Birpara hospital, different offices for the Government, krishak bazars, 48 anganwadi centres supporting child development at tea gardens and many other initiatives.

Besides distribution of scholarship, loan for self-employment, housing, pattas, agricultural tools and other benefits to thousands of beneficiaries of the district, drinking water schemes for tea gardens were also unveiled today.

On her way to Alipurduar, she met tea garden workers and school students.

West Bengal Chief Minister arrives at North Bengal for a two day visit

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on West Bengal Chief Minister arrives at North Bengal for a two day visit

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee reached North Bengal today. In the following days to come, the Chief Minister will chair administrative meetings with the officials of the newly created Alipurduar district and also hold a public meeting.

The Chief Minister is expected to spend today’s night at Suntalekhola in Kalimpong. On 1 April, she will chair an administrative meeting at Dimdima at Birpara, Madarihat in the Alipurduar district. Later, she will be present at a public meeting at Ethelbari in Madarihat-Birpara from where she will distribute several benefits and grants.

The Chief Minister will inaugurate a number of projects and lay foundation stones for many developmental projects. The new Administrative Building for the Alipuduar district is expected to be inaugurated on the day.

The Chief Minister may also distribute cycles to tribal girl students, besides other benefits like Kanyashree, forest pattas, agri-machinery for farmers and other grants.

Derek O’Brien speaks during discussion on working of Ministry of Women & Child Development | Transcript

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Derek O’Brien speaks during discussion on working of Ministry of Women & Child Development | Transcript

Full Transcript:

Sir, I would like to make one comment and three questions.

Sir, this department is called the Women and Child Development but looking at the treasury benches, now I have realised why the Minister very graciously informed us that she was ready with her reply in August and but could not make it till March. Sir, I am only making an observation that the the department for women and child has become the department for woman and child as there is not a single woman – other than the Minister – in the treasury benches. This is an attitude issue.

Sir, I have three pointed questions.

One of the schemes which the Government has rolled out is the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. A test is being done in about 100 districts. This is my understanding. Now the Finance Minister in his Budget has allocated Rs 100 crore for this programme this year. My question to the Minister is – would you consider a programme called Kanyashree – approved by the UN, running for the last one and a half years. It was rolled out and the pilot phase is over. This is a award winning programme. This year the State Government of West Bengal has allocated Rs 900 crore. For one programme. Not Rs 100 crore. It is a successful programme. Let’s not get into competitive federalism in a negative way. Would you consider looking at Bengal’s Kanyashree, running successfully for the last three one and a half years and adopt the model?

My second question is to do with scalability. We heard the examples you gave us, so scalability is the issue. The idea with the Railways Minister is good as it has to with adoption. The third idea is to do with inappropriate touch; spreading it in the schools. For these ideas what specific plans do you have for scalability? That is the challenge.

I am saying, if there are 20 railway stations, then what is the plan to make it 200? If it is 89 children – very good – how do you make it 89000? That is scalability. Testing has been done, what is the idea for scalability?

The Minister wanted an idea and I am giving her an example for Vishaka Guidelines. How do you spread the message through corporates? FICCI, ASSOCHAM and all the industrial bodies are doing very good work, get them involved. They can help you to spread this message.